


Fake it till you make it

by Kuroneko



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Angst, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, I also don't want to go too deep into Neil's past, I just want some sweet romcom fake dating okay, M/M, Out of Character, Romance, no riko if it means anything, or Andrew's for the matter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-09-06 09:35:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16829986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuroneko/pseuds/Kuroneko
Summary: .: or how to make your friends leave alone your private life with making a fake date dealAndrew Minyard won't let his cousin, Nicky have the satisfaction of hooking him up with some random stranger only because he thinks Andrew might be sad after the ending of his not-relationship with Roland.Neil Josten goes along with the dates his friends' are organising for him because it's easier than having to repeat how he has no such needs and is completely content with not getting any.Maybe it's the Fate itself bringing them together - because both of them wants nothing except for everyone around them leave them peace.Or so they thought.





	1. Chapter 1

If there was one thing Nicky was good at it was being insufferable when he really wanted to be.

Sometimes even for Andrew it was a challenge which he did not always win.

This is how he ended up sitting at a cafe waiting for some random dude to show up and get terribly rejected. Because if there was anything Andrew was sure of, it definitely was that he won’t make the satisfaction to Nicky to get him together with some stranger he thought was gorgeous.

He was not sure what kind of guy it was and what he heard from Nicky was anything but convincing.

’He is a bit oblivious but gorgeous. Kind of exy obsessed. I think you two will get along – he is just as of an asocial as you.’

Exy obsessed was already enough of a reason for Andrew to say no to the whole thing. And it’s not like he was looking for anyone to begin with, he was perfectly satisfied with his casual hook-ups with Roland at Eden’s.

Except Roland recently got a boyfriend and thus their hook-ups came to an end.

Except somehow Nicky found out about the whole situation and was generally annoying with his ’oh my god, we are the gay cousins’ and thinking Andrew was somehow sad and he took it on himself to get a boyfriend for Andrew to cheer him up and mend his broken heart.

Andrew’s heart was not broken.

Andrew did not care much besides how the convenience of his not-relationship with Roland was gone now. He was well-trained of what he could and couldn’t do and it’s going to be a pain to find someone else. Andrew did not care enough to do so.

However, Nicky took it on his heart and Andrew knew he needed to go along with Nicky’s whim if he wanted to escape it. He decided to just come to this ’date’, see the guy and tell him he is not interested. Then just tell Nicky it won’t work out and he better stick his nose elsewhere or he will just cut it off.

Andrew was sure the ’date’ won’t last not even half an hour.

* * *

Neil Josten loved his friends however every once in a while he got this terrible urge to just sit on a plane and fly off to some unknown land so he won’t have to explain for the thousandths time he was not interested in dating and else.

For some reason it was their very idea Neil was lonely and he needed someone by his side and (Allison’s words) he needed someone to ’take care of him’ because his exy obsession was unhealthy and showed how he lacked satisfaction in other areas of his life.

Neil thought these so-called other areas were pretty much overrated.

Obviously though his terribly sex-driven friends did not understand this one thing about him. They made peace with Neil’s secretiveness about his life and lack of social abilities and they adored his obliviousness when it comes to daily things (their words).

However, they just could not accept Neil’s lack of sex drive and desire to be in a relationship.

And thus, every month they basically forced him to go on blind dates. And Neil went along with it because getting through it was easier then listening to Allison’s bitching about his life choices or Dan’s sad smile as he knocked on his door to do a movie night because Neil definitely was lonely in his badly furnished small apartment.

Neil wasn’t lonely or sad though. If anything he could say he was it was content.

He was content with his tiny apartment and his studies (’Who in their right mind studies Math voluntarily?’ as Allison said once) and his exy obsession he failed to grew out of. He liked his friends despite their nosiness.

Yes, Neil was content for maybe the first time in his life.

And even if the demons from his past gave him sleepless nights… he would never exchange his current life for anything.

* * *

Andrew was early because he wanted to put an end to this whole issue and not because of anything else. Whatever Nicky thought, because he was thinking stupid things, he could hear him smirking when he called to ask if Andrew was already there.

It was all stupid and useless and to make his time worth, he ordered a butterscotch white chocolate coffee with chocolate muffin, so at least it was worth to appear.

Anyway, he was just staring out the window – the good thing about window seating. He did not pay attention to much things, he was counting the passing minutes and hoped that maybe the guy actually fled. Then he would just drink his coffee, eat his muffin then go back home and tell Nicky this was the first and last date he was willing to go along with.

The guy was late and Andrew hid a satisfied smirk behind the whipped cream as he took a sip from the coffee – he definitely bailed. And Andrew thought maybe he won’t finish his muffin but just leave.

But suddenly, a red-headed guy passed by the window – more precisely ran by – and Andrew’s movements froze. The guy burst in to the cafe then stopped at the entrance. He was panting but did not seem like the running actually took its toll on him.

With piercing, icy blue eyes he looked around and Andrew’s lips slightly parted as their gazes met, as the guy’s eyes rested on him as he started towards his direction, stopped by his table and looked around once again before his eyes settling on Andrew’s Palmetto hoodie.

(‘Wear the orange Palmetto hoodie’ Nicky said, ‘He will wear something orange as well, so you two will know.’)

“Are you my blind date?”

It was such a foolish, blunt way to ask someone if they were here for a blind date and if they were here for them. Just like his neon orange shirt.

It was utterly foolish and ridiculous and Andrew felt his blood pressure just explode.

“Depends.” Andrew replied and he mentally smacked himself. But then again, to a foolish question one can only give a foolish answer.

The guy lifted one of his brows and something weird happened – he smiled. It was cocky and terribly irritating.

“On what?” He asked and his smile grew which was even more cocky, the audacity!

This guy was irritating, Andrew confirmed to himself. He was rubbing him in the wrong way, going under his skin – it rarely happened but there it was, this dude had barely uttered two sentences and Andrew wanted to bury him alive. The guy had some interesting talents.

Andrew’s gaze travelled to his empty coffee mug then back at the stranger, „Buy me another of this then we will see.”

The boy smiled as he put his bag at the table and turned to go to the barista.

No, Andrew definitely did not check out his actually short stature completed with a well-formed backside and actually terribly nice legs that were uncovered thanks to that distasteful jorts he was wearing, with a simple long-sleeve orange t-shirt which did not make sense at all.

This guy had no taste – Andrew could see it.

This guy – he also noted staring at his worn-out running shoes – had the amount of desire for this date just as Andrew.  
No one wore worn-out shoes for a date they cared about. Even Andrew was more dressed up than this guy.

In a few minutes he arrived back and Andrew couldn’t not notice his grimace as he placed his extra chocolate and caramel sweetness bomb in front of Andrew.  
Andrew couldn’t not notice the barista’s wistful eyes and the phone number on the guy’s napkin.

“I see you like poison.”

Andrew looked at his bland black coffee, “I could say the same.”

The guy smiled again then said, “I’m Neil.”

“Andrew.”

Silence fell upon them as the guy, Neil, had drank from his coffee and Andrew continued staring him down but actually checking out his scars on both cheeks, his long eyelashes and actually, Nicky was right, gorgeous face.

Neil was gorgeous, especially that annoying way he licked his lip as he put his mug down and said, “So.”

Andrew raised a brow, “So.”

It was clear Neil was waiting for Andrew to bring up something to talk about, but jokes on him because Andrew did not plan on doing so. He just stared straight at Neil who was actually staring straight back at Andrew which was actually quite interesting. People did not usually get into stare down competitions with Andrew Minyard.

Most of all, Andrew Minyard never loses them.

“I’m not here for a boyfriend.” He said, turning his attention to his coffee. “My cousin would not stop bothering me, so I made a deal with him, he would leave me alone if I came here. Sorry to ruin your expectations.”

There was a moment of silence then Neil replied, “My friends force me into blind dates monthly because they cannot understand how I’m not into dating and such things. So, it’s good for a change to meet someone who was also pretty much forced into this.”

“You are asexual.” Andrew blurted out and Neil only shrugged with a sorry expression. “Your friends are dicks.”

“They only want my well-being.”

Neil was an idiot. “With letting them forcing you into meeting a bunch of people wanting to get in your pants? What a caring bunch they are.”

“It’s not like I have argued with them too much. It’s easier this way. I don’t really care anyway.”

“You are an idiot.”

Neil smiled and Andrew was not taken aback at all. “Says the person who came to a blind date with a total stranger just to shut his cousin up.”

“It’s easier this way.” Andrew mimicked Neil which only made him smile more. “Killing him would be too messy.”

Neil bit his lip but a small laughter broke out anyway.

Andrew really wasn’t taken aback. People usually did not appreciate his humor, but there it was, this gorgeous boy laughing at the idea of someone getting murdered.  
He was interesting. Watching him Andrew knew there was more to him than what one can see and he could almost put his finger on it. It was behind those icy blue eyes, in those shadows that sometimes appeared and what was so familiar to Andrew. It was in those scars scattered on his cheeks and hands.

And he did not want anything. He was not one that would exploit anyone. He was not one that would be a danger, boy was so oblivious he did not even notice the barista had written his number on his napkin. He will probably throw it out without even noticing it once.

And then Andrew had the stupidest idea.

“Maybe it’s not bad we are here after all.”

Neil slightly narrowed his eyes as his attention was fully on Andrew and he would be a liar if he said he was not intrigued.

“Think about it, Neil.” The name felt weird on Andrew’s tongue but he decided it was not unpleasant. “I need my cousin to leave me alone and you need your friends to stop bothering with your private life.” Neil nodded. “Now, your friends will probably continue throwing you to strangers like a treat while my cousin will continue trying to save my life and wanting to bring the love of my life before me. Obviously it’s not working, is it.”

“Unless we make a deal?” Neil asked and boy was he smart, Andrew almost praised him.

“I have boundaries that are not recommended to be crossed. I believe you won’t be much of a danger to that considering your sexuality. And I sure as hell don’t want anything either. You aren’t my type.”

Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t. Even Andrew had no answers for everything.

Neil also leant back on his seat, crossed his arms before his chest, watching Andrew thoughtfully. “You want us to fake date?”

“I don’t want anything.”

Neil rolled his eyes, “Let me rephrase it then. What you are suggesting is that we should pretend to be dating so both your family and my friends would leave us be?”

“For one thing, my cousin will leave me alone and won’t have to listen to his whining about my sad sad life. For another, your friends won’t send you to meet God knows what kind of weirdos that would try to force their desires on you.”

Andrew knew this was quite idiotic. He also did not care what Nicky and the others thought or if Roland looked at him with sorry eyes screaming ’poor Andrew’ when in fact it was not the case.  
But on the other hand it must have irritated the hell out of him if he wanted to make such a deal with some gorgeous guy he just met.  
Andrew just wanted to show ’hey I can function properly’ just to shut them up and have his peaceful life again.

“Hm.” Neil seemed to be thinking carefully then shrugged. “It’s actually not a bad idea.”

“I need a yes or no, Neil.”

Neil watched him and Andrew was sure there was something happening in his head and he wanted to know what. He wanted to know what that sudden gleam that disappeared in the same instant meant.

“Yes.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Neil gets confronted by Allison, Dan and Renee about his very date with Andrew.

It’s not that Neil had second thoughts but once he was home in the silence of his apartment and thought about it properly, he was not very fond of the idea of lying to his friends.

On the other hand though, the idea of not having to go out and meet strangers and waste time was way too flattering to say no. So he did the opposite and said yes to Andrew.

Andrew Minyard.

Neil would be a liar if he said Andrew wasn’t an interesting person with how his actions and words and facial expression were the complete opposite of each other. He was also not hard on the eyes, even Neil could tell and this made him confused - why Andrew needed a camouflage such as Neil? Who would want someone like Neil anyway?

On the other hand though, Andrew had clearly stated how Neil’s asexuality was to his advantage and this somehow explained everything more or less. After all, someone like Andrew could surely do better than Neil. Even despite his clearly bad personality which Neil found himself being amused by.

For what Neil could find out from the hours spent together with Andrew - because Neil did so, despite his promise to himself only staying for about half an hour - was that Andrew neither did hide his opinion nor did he try to coat his words. That was something rare in a world with kind smiles but piercing gazes and Neil found himself appreciating Andrew’s remarks on his terrible taste in fashion or his clear distaste for exy and boldly reprimanding Neil, calling him a junkie.

Neil found himself liking the ‘nickname’.

Maybe he was quick to assume - and with his past and life where he would never trust anyone even after months and years being the best judges of a person - but he had a feeling this whole fake dating thing won’t be hard to do or bear with if it was Andrew he had to do it with.  
For what it’s worth, he actually found himself enjoying Andrew’s company and considering Andrew’s dismissive gaze when it came to anyone around them, Neil was sure Andrew felt the same way, even if it’s just for a small portion. Or else he would have told him to sod off, definitely not coming up with the fake dating idea itself.

And so and so, Neil just simply got rid of the bad taste of lying to his friends. It was easy as that.

As if summoning the devil though, Neil’s phone started to ring when he just got comfortable on the couch, turning on the TV and realizing he had missed the exy match he actually wanted to hurry and watch. In his mind he made a promise to text Andrew - because they did exchange phone numbers though Neil did state his distaste for phones, earning sarcastic comment from Andrew over it - about it and already knowing the kind of answer he will receive, if he will get one at all.

He found his phone somewhere scattered on the floor - must have fallen out of his pocket when he changed pants - and seeing the who caller was he let out a sigh.

Allison.

“Hi Allison.” He said trying to sound actually glad for the call when in fact he honestly did not look forward to this conversation and the turn it will take.

“Spill.”

Neil furrowed his brows over Allison’s basic lack of courtesy but decided not to comment on it. “I had black coffee.”

“Neil. Really. Amazing.” She faked amazement, then continued, “How was the guy?”

Neil remembered how Allison had no idea what kind of guy she was setting him up with. Actually, as she told him, an acquaintance of his recommended the idea to her considering the acquaintance himself also tried to set someone up with a partner. This how is they ended up with a high-five and setting Neil and that someone up together.

With Andrew.

While the events actually did take a rather positive turn, still, Neil was kind of bitter about Allison’s way of handling this whole thing. Also, he was pretty sure she does know whom did she try to set Neil up with - there was just no way Allison Reynolds had no knowledge of it. She had also held Neil on higher regards than that, setting him up with someone she did not know either. She saw Neil’s scars every day as a reminder to be careful with people in the world.

“Well.”

“Neil! Really! Spill!” She then sighed, “Look if it did not turn out well, that’s okay, I’m just curious and we have money at stake.”

“Wait, did you make a bet?” Knowing his friends, Neil honestly should not have been surprised. “Everyone?”

“Yes, dumbnuts. We always do. So spill, I put fifty bucks on you driving away the guy.”

Neil let himself a satisfied smirk sit out on his face, “Then you might as well start paying now, whoever you are owing it to.”

There was a long silence on the other side of the line before Allison spoke, “What?”

Neil, having the upper hand suddenly feeling very much appreciative of it, turned back on the sofa, crossed his legs and did not even try to conceal the amusement in his voice, “We exchanged numbers, you see. Just arrived home about twenty minutes ago.”

Another silence. “You liked the guy.”

Neil, suddenly feeling a weird sensation in his chest hearing the word ‘like’, cleared his throat and gave a neutral answer, neither lie nor exact truth. There was no word of ‘like’ considering the nature of his fake relationship with Andrew but he also did not dislike his company. “He was okay.”

“Okay.” Allison echoed his words aghast. “Damn son, I’m going to put you on speaker.” Then she shouted, “Dan, drag your pretty booty here, this kid here actually likes Andrew fucking Minyard, can you believe it?! I’ve worked my ass off here finding him nice stuff only to end up with the goddamn psycho!”

Neil furrowed his brows at her remark at Andrew, who definitely did not struck him as that kind. He surely had a personality and a freezing air around him, but there was also that glint in his eyes when he was amused or the stand of his lips when he said something sarcastic. These two Neil saw quite a lot this evening.  
”You know him?”

“Neil, boy” It was Dan now, her voice filled with laughter, “everyone knows him. He is like, number one on the list whom you should not be dating if you want to have a long life.”

“That’s not very nice, Dan.” It was Renee now. “Andrew has a personality, but he is not a bad person.”

Allison sounded anything but convinced. “Right. He literally pulled a knife on someone last year. At the corridor, at university.”

For a moment, Neil’s stomach cramped from the idea of the knife used in such way, but he quickly shooed away the thought. He needed facts, not judgemental gossip. He was sure there must be plenty of it, listening only to a few examples coming from both Dan and Allison and he could literally see Renee, watching both of them with an disapproving expression.

“You have never heard about him, I bet.” Allison said and she surely knew the answer because she did not wait for one. “He is quite famous on school grounds for his attitude and past in juvie...”

“Allison!”

“Anyway, he is not hard on the eyes though, in a way I could even understand you.” Allison’s lips turned nasty, Neil could see. “If you like bad boys, Neil, I can find someone for you, okay?”

“I’m fine.” Neil said with a flare of annoyance. “Andrew is fine.”

“Oh, how protective of his boyfriend!”

“Andrew is not my-” Neil bit on his lips, remembering the whole deal he had made with Andrew. The point of it was Andrew being his fake boyfriend, he probably should not deny it.

There was a pause on the other end of a line, then Dan asked on a quieter, more serious tone, “He isn’t, is he?”

Neil cleared his throat, feeling suddenly exposed and embarrassed by the whole expression, “We have just met.”

“But will you meet again?” Dan asked again and by the nervous silence coming from the three girls, Neil was sure they were waiting for a far different answer than what he was going to give.

“Yes.”

There came another long silence and Neil could see their expressions, stern but trying to smile while inside they were screaming in terror before they could gently talk him out of the idea.  
However, before they could start on it, Renee must have did what she usually done because there was no answer from the girls, but only her smiling voice broke the silence.

“I’m happy for you, Neil. I’m sure you two will get along well.”

And with that, they said their goodbyes and Neil was once again left to his silent apartment, with his mixed feelings.  
The worry of his friends made him slightly jittery, thinking that maybe he made a mistake with this whole deal and also, knives... knives...  
But then, Renee, as it turns out, was friends with Andrew. Renee would not befriend anyone of the kind as Dan and Allison tried to paint Andrew.  
And who was Neil to judge anyone? With his own past and demons? Surely he had no place to throw judgement around.

Neil in the end just sighed to himself, raising his gaze back to the screen, where the night’s exy match was playing on replay.  
Neil smirked as he took his phone and sent a text he promised himself he would do, his very first text to Andrew.

A few minutes later came the answer.  
 _You are blocked._

Neil let himself laugh as he made himself comfortable on the sofa once again and decided not to believe the gossips but see Andrew for himself.  
He had no bad feelings related to him which was already a proof - Neil knew his fair share of bad people and the siren did not go off in his head when he met Andrew.

If anything life had taught him was recognizing the devil when he saw it.  
And his gut told Neil that Andrew Minyard seemed to be as far from the term as possible.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Nicky gets his answers, Aaron is hiding something, Matt is shocked and Andrew honestly regrets the whole ordeal of this fake dating.  
> While all of this, Neil remains an oblivious tease to Andrew's greatest sorrow.

Andrew was anything but pleased with Nicky sitting down next to him at the kitchen island the following morning, staring at him expectantly, as if he was waiting for Andrew to tell him all the mysteries of the world and thus changing his life forever.  
Andrew wasn’t willing to share such things with him, no, in fact he honestly wanted to pour his hot coffee at his thigh.

“Well?” He asked after he noted Andrew won’t talk. “How was your date? He is a sweetheart, isn’t he?” He let out a dreamy sigh, “If he is a no go, I might take him out for a night or two.”

“Hey Nicky,” Andrew turned to him finally, lifting his cup above Nicky’s thigh, “How fast do burnt injuries heal?” He cocked his head to the side, “Maybe you can ask Aaron to patch you up, good practise for him anyways.”

Nicky grimaced and pulled slightly back, away from the cup which Andrew lifted to his mouth amused.

“I’m just saying.” Nicky shrugged, “No need to go all jealous and territorial.”

Andrew lifted a brow as a warning but Nicky continued, “All I’m doing in inquiring about your date, why is that such a sin? Especially when it’s all thanks to me? Well partially, but still!” Andrew saw from the corner of his eyes as Aaron entered the kitchen, ignoring them. “We are the gay cousins now! We should talk about this at least, Aaron is useless with his heterosexuality!”

Aaron let out a sound of disdain as he drank the orange juice he just poured for himself, “Stop pulling me into your stupid business.”

“Why, you are just jealous you cannot share this with us.” Nicky grinned, “If only you would bend a bit though, I bet you could drop Katelyn in a heartbeat and have someone who -”

Aaron stared at Nicky dead in the eye and only stopped when Andrew called out to him, “Hey Aaron, can you treat burnt injuries.”

Aaron did not reply though and did not react to Nicky’s whine - and the rather interesting thing that he was starting on and which Aaron stopped with his deathglare - as a bit of hot coffee had landed on his knee.

Currently, Aaron Minyard refused to talk with Andrew and was anything but fond of Nicky’s nonstop mention of how they are gay now, leaving Aaron the only straight in their small family, alone like his pinky.  
And while at first anyone would have assumed Aaron turned out to be a homophobe ass, Andrew had to face the truth when Aaron walked up to him not long after the cat was out of the bag and on a rather accusing tone, with more emotions in his eyes than ever he asked Andrew:  
”Why didn’t you tell it to me at least? You are my brother.”

Andrew was taken aback by the sudden display of their brotherhood, the idea of this meaning anything to Aaron. It’s not like Aaron had told him about Katelyn directly; Andrew also had to find out through Nicky’s blabbing mouth, teasing Aaron about a girl he had seen him with on the street.  
And even now it seems there was something going on he had no knowledge of.  
It’s not like Aaron had told him anything and so, Andrew did not feel that he actually owed the same to his twin.

So he just replied:  
”My sexuality and whom I’m telling about it has nothing to do with us being relatives. I don’t think it’s any of your business whom I’m sleeping with or not.”

Aaron watched him for a few moments, hurt sitting out on his face, before turning away and leaving Andrew at the spot. Since then Aaron refused to speak with Andrew and Andrew decided he did not care enough to make it up to him.  
Aaron was clean, safe, on the way for a bright future as a doctor. That was all that mattered and if Aaron decided to be a child, then so be it, Andrew let him.

“Andrew, really, just tell.” Nicky started again, rubbing the brown spot on his knee. “Neil Josten. How is he?”

Andrew was amused by how curious Nicky was and he was also sure this was the moment where he needed to give ground to his future fake relationship. “Interesting.”

Nicky’s eyebrows shot up, his eyes widened and he sensed even Aaron stopped his movements as he listened in the conversation. Always the pretenses, that’s Aaron for you.

“Interesting?” Nicky gaped, “Well damn, something at least, give me details.”

Andrew decided to be a bit honest, describing Neil. “He is quite cocky for a sob story such as him. With a weird sense of humour. And he runs for his own satisfaction, what a tool.”

Nicky started out with a small smile that soon turned into a toothy grin, “You like him.”

Andrew lifted his cup as a warning, making Nicky pull slightly back, out of Andrew’s reach. “He is interesting. Maybe he could keep my interest for a short while.”

“Oh, I bet you he is an interesting one.” Nicky said on a tone that screamed foreshadowing, while tapped at his own cheek, probably meaning Neil’s scars. “I did some digging, mainly asking some people and you know, my friend who helped me set him up with you, you know, Allison.”

Andrew knew the blond girl that hang out a lot with Renee and was Seth’s girlfriend, a teammate of Kevin’s and generally a jerk.  
Andrew knew but did not respond.

“So the boy truly is a sob story, you know.” Nicky bit his lip, trying to keep his last ounce of decency before starting on his gossiping round. “Have you ever heard about him?”

Andrew shrugged. Neil Josten did not ring the bell and what he saw from Neil the day before, the boy would rather melt in the crowd than stand out, especially when people started noticing his scars.  
Scars that did not look like they were caused by accident, especially not the burn marks on his cheek or fingers.

“Turns out he is like, some mafia young master though he is not into such stuff, no worries, I only set you up with decent folk.” Nicky added hurriedly, then continued, “His father was like some extra dangerous guy, put down by the FBI a few years ago. He is practically an orphan, his mother killed and his only relative is his uncle in Europe.” He tapped his cheek again, “This is no mere injury, he got it in an ugly way.”

“Nicky.” Andrew stopped him, feeling somehow tense, as if he was walking on a ground he was not invited to. Suddenly the whole story turned oddly intimate, something that should not be told by a third person, but the one who suffered it.

“What? I’m getting there...”

“Shut it.” Andrew said, “Leave him alone.”

“But...”

“I’m telling you, Nicky, to leave it and you will do so.” He stood from the table, his very own scars on his arms suddenly feeling itchy, “This is no concern of yours.”

He left the kitchen before Nicky could continue and he only heard him yell after him, “Will you meet him again though?”

Andrew thought of their deal and how the current information somehow made this task more complicated than he wanted it to be. He did not know why but he felt it suddenly became complicated, both their baggage feeling like a ton of weight on their shoulders.

At the same time Andrew was bitter to note to himself that even if the deal was not made he would probably see Neil again. The deal itself and the fact he could have some peace this way without neither Neil nor Andrew excepting anything from the other was only a sweet plus given by the situation.  
However, when he told Nicky that Neil was interesting he did not lie; the boy really did pick his interest. And it was not just his icy blue eyes that just kept one’s gaze locked or his lips that wore the cocky smile more often than what was legal or even his scars that made him bow his head in public even though Andrew for sure did not think them ugly or anything similar.

No. There was just something in Neil Josten he could not quite point his finger on. Something that made him want to murder him on the spot but at the same time keep him close.

Either way, Andrew knew for some reason this boy was his doom in a way or another. And thinking back to his text from the previous night, about an exy match and how he missed it because of Andrew and how Andrew could literally see that shit-eating grin in front of him that Neil showed off a few times the previous night, trying to tease Andrew which was a true shock because people rarely teased __him__...

Anyway, yes, Andrew will meet him again and it was terrible to confess he probably would meet him again even without the deal.

“Can’t get rid of him that easy, so it seems.” Andrew replied at last, for some reason, because he definitely did not owe Nicky an answer.

“The gorgeous gets to you, does he.” Nicky laughed and damned he be, because he was right.

He truly did get to Andrew.

It was interesting how until now he never ran into Neil, despite the very fact they both attended Palmetto State University. Well, their majors were as far from each other as possible - Neil, the fool, studying math willingly while Andrew was studying criminology to which Neil only said, with a grimace ‘are you willingly trying to become a cop?’.

Anyway, even like this people tended to run into each other even if just once. Andrew did not and to Neil as well Andrew was a stranger.

Now though, as soon as Andrew’s lesson ended and he left the building, the first thing he saw not too far from himself was Neil’s red head next to a tall guy whom Andrew recognized as Matt Boyd, another teammate of Kevin’s.

For a moment Andrew had no idea what to do and he must have looked foolish stopping in his track, openly staring at Neil. Obviously, he was going to ignore him but Neil, of course, had to notice him before he could turn away and go off.

Neil turned to Matt, said something to him to which Matt showed anything but an approving expression, then the fool he was, Neil jogged up to Andrew, smiling as wild as his ears let him.

“Hi.” He said and even waved and Andrew could not help but just stare. “So.”

“So.”

Neil grinned and even Andrew felt the ghost of a smile try to fight its way on his lips.

“Are you finished for today?”

Andrew raised a brow, “Why, Josten, want to take me on a fancy date?”

Neil shrugged, “Maybe we could get a coffee.” The stare down by Andrew made him shift slightly, “I don’t know how to do this fake dating thing.”

Andrew sighed because he had no idea either but he was not going to share this with Neil.

“We can just meet up, letting them think we are on a date. When in fact, we are just meeting up.”

Neil looked back up at Andrew with a smile and Andrew honestly wanted to smack him.  
At that very moment this whole fake dating thing became the most idiotic thing Andrew had ever came up with.

“Coffee that is then.” Andrew said and turned to leave but a voice - Matt Boyd’s - stopped him - them - from leaving.

“Neil, are you leaving?”

Neil turned around and nodded at Matt, “Yes. Andrew and I are going to get coffee.”

Matt furrowed his brows as he looked at Andrew nodding at him as a greeting, “Minyard.”

“Boyd.”

Neil looked between them then asked, “You two know each other?”

They did know each other in a way, when Andrew was forced into exy by Kevin Day for a short while.  
In short, they had their difference as in Matt not enjoying Kevin’s too-sharp criticism and wanted to bury Kevin into the ground, except, Andrew stopped him, Matt ending up with a sore wrist.

“Briefly.” Matt grimaced, “And you two...?”

Neil glanced at Andrew, his expression screaming of indecision of what exactly he should say to that.  
Andrew solved the problem.

“Seeing each other.”

Matt’s eyes grew double sized as he stared at both of them, then looked at Neil with the same surprise, “I’ve thought you are not dating?”

Neil only shrugged, “Andrew is different.”

Andrew’s lips parted for a moment, then sucked in a handful of air, trying to do this silently, without any of them noticing his utmost shock.  
Different... Andrew is different... Andrew would have loved this sentence if it was not a lie.. LIE... L i e.  
Of course.

“Is that so.” Matt still stared at them stunned then seemed to have pulled himself together as he cleared his throat and nodded more to himself than at Neil or Andrew, “Well, have fun?” Then glanced at Andrew from the corner of his eyes before he cleared his throat and asked seemingly embarrassed but definitely curious, “Will you be late?”

Neil must have caught up on Matt’s thread of thoughts as he smirked, cocked his head to the side and acting troubled he said, “I don’t know...” Then asked Andrew, with the same teasing smile, “Will I?”

Neil Josten was the devil.  
Andrew almost laughed, which was a first.

“Depends.”

Neil smiled wider and Matt became more embarrassed, “On what?”

“Whether you can stop being annoying or will I have to kick your ass.”

Andrew was not joking, Neil was seriously annoying with his teasing and easy smiles which probably wasn’t so easy seeing Matt’s stunned expression watching Neil, his smiles and his actual goddamn laughter.

Neil laughed and for a moment Andrew thought he was dying.  
This was no good. Andrew grimaced by the realization this was all no good to any of them but definitely not to Andrew. He is going down on a road he never would have guessed he would this easy, only thanks to a pair of blue eyes.

Andrew knew better than this. He should have known better than this.

Andrew hated this and turned around and started walking to his favourite coffee shop where they always gave him extra sugar and cream - the barista may have even winked at him a few times, meeting Andrew’s deadpan glare - and he hoped it would wash away the bitter taste in his mouth.

Andrew hated Neil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point everyone is just OOC and this is not how I planned, honestly, I had no plans at all but Andrew seems to fall quick and hard. And really, it's just a mess.  
> Oh well.   
> I hope you all like it, thank you for all the kudos and comments!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Neil steps on a landmine, resulting Andrew ignoring him only to trade their very truths thanks to Nicky living a dangerous life.

It was nice for a change that the person sitting across him did not repeat all the possible pickup lines of the world every second minute or they did not say something sexual that would make Neil uncomfortable.  
It was nice the person across him did not try to criticize his way of living and if any criticizing happened it was his love for exy and even that made him smile instead of bothering him.

Neil Josten felt utterly relaxed and it was weird and maybe a first.  
Neil rarely felt comfortable around anyone, even Matt commented on it sometimes, though he tried to cover up his hurt with joking around.

Andrew across him though did not try to verbally get in his pants nor he said how he was missing out with not having a relationship or having sex.  
Andrew in front of him was more interested in that sweet poison he was drinking and the cake slice that gave Neil diabetes just looking at it. Andrew was not interested in him that way - Neil reminded himself -, they were only using each other for a comfortable life.  
However, Neil would have lied to even himself if he said he did not enjoy Andrew’s company.

“Staring.” Andrew said suddenly and looked straight into Neil’s eyes. He had pretty eyes, nice shade of hazel.

“I was just thinking.”

Neil really was thinking. He was thinking about why Andrew would want to be in a fake relationship when he could just get anyone and have an actual relationship with them. He was also thinking about his knives and why he pulled it on someone, as the rumour said. Watching Andrew, he was the epitome of calmness and solid like a rock. Others would say emotionless, but Neil could not be deceived, one cannot lie to a liar. Anyway, he found it impossible that anything could just throw him off, let alone make him draw a knife just like that. There must have been a reason for that, Neil could not imagine Andrew not having a reason to his actions.

“Oh?” Andrew feigned surprise, “Sounds alien coming from your mouth.”

Neil chuckled, “You are forgetting I’m majoring in math.”

“See? Not thinking.”

Neil shook his head smiling, reaching for his coffee and drinking it. He could feel Andrew’s gaze on him, almost questioning but he did not say another word. He actually liked the silence, it was not awkward or heavy like it was with others. Silence with Andrew was like taking a break from the world, catching his breath.  
It was like, wrapped up in a safe bubble without the threat of ever getting hurt, that’s the kind of presence Andrew had.

“And what it is that Neil Josten was thinking about?”

Neil looked up at Andrew and for a moment he was unsure if he could ask what he wanted to. He knew he was treading on sensitive waters and if he asked the wrong questions... well, he was sure nothing pleasant would come out of it.

Neil took a deep breath, “Allison said you pulled a knife on someone last year.”

Neil wasn’t here last year. Last year Neil was on the run, last year Neil went to the FBI and last year his father injured his knee before he was shot dead by his uncle’s people and the FBI. Last year Neil thought he was going to die, but he survived and even the fact he could not play exy anymore or ever again felt like a small price no matter how much he loved the sport. And even like this, it brought him together with friends that meant life for him.

Kevin Day tried to recruit him, even going as far as bringing his father, David Wymack on his neck only to be left disappointed - Neil could not play.  
But this short encounter brought Matt into his life and with him came Dan, Allison, Renee...

And now Andrew.

A lot had happened last year and he never once looked back.  
This was the first time he had ever asked anyone about it.

It did not escape Neil’s attention as Andrew froze for a moment, then trying to act as if nothing had happened he cleaned his mouth with the napkin - for a moment Neil forgot his gaze on his rosy lips, such a contrast against his white skin - and leant back on his chair, looking at Neil as a sarcastic smile, more of a grimace had appeared on his face, his eyes colder than ever.

“Now, now. I see rumors are no stranger for you.”

“It was Allison bringing it up, when I told her we will meet up again. When I did enough to our deal, as we agreed.”

“And?” Andrew waved in the air, his tone making fun of Neil, “What is it you want to know? If I gutted the dude? If I did this before? Want to hear the story when I have beaten up a bunch of guys in front of a club? Or, you want to know if I have knives at me now as well?” Andrew patted his forearm that was covered by a black armband, something that did not skip Neil’s attention but did not give it too much significance before.

Now he understood the use of it.

“I’m not scared of your knives. Or of you, for the matter.”

“Maybe you should. Maybe I will use them on you.” Andrew reached into his armbands and pulled out a small knife. Neil felt nothing.

“I don’t think you will. You are not that kind of person to just throw around knives just like that. That’s why I’m pretty sure you had a reason last year and I just wanted to know what happened.”

Andrew only stared at him, gaze cold as he spat, “You know nothing about me.”

“I know the evil when I see it.”

“How do you know I’m not?”

“I just know.”

“You get on my nerves.” Andrew stood up and threw banknotes on the table. “You were my guest.”

Then he left the cafe and Neil bit his lip as an unpleasant feeling settled in his chest.  
He fucked up. Of course.

* * *

Andrew felt like an idiot for letting Neil get to him like this, for making such a scene and running away just like that.  
He should know better.  
He should have just ignored the whole conversation, he should have just ignored Neil, He should not have reacted at all.

Somehow though, Neil caught him by surprise. An unpleasant surprise and Andrew hated them.

__You are not that kind of person. I know you had a reason._ _

Well, Josten was definitely alone with that. When it happened, no one asked but only pulled away with fear in their eyes and Andrew did not care. He was used to it.  
What he was not used to is anyone asking for a reason behind his actions.

He could have told him. He could have tell him the guy touched him, touched him a way he wasn’t in some time and it brought up memories he had safely locked away. And he took his knife because he went blind for a moment and all he could see was __him__...

He did not tell though. He did not owe answers to anyone, especially not to Neil whom he had known for two days. Even if he had pretty eyes with all the horrible shadows and scars that screamed volumes of a terrible past.

So Andrew decided to just ignore him. Because that was the easiest way and anyway he got too close to the fire to begin with and Neil isn’t that interesting. Both of them will get bored eventually, do a fake break-up and Nicky won’t bother him again, Andrew will make sure of it. As for Neil, Andrew did not care. He could be sent to tons of blind dates, it was none of Andrew’s business.

So he just went home and ignored Nicky’s concerned questions as he took a bottle of whiskey and left for the roof which he used exclusively after he broke the lock on it. The landlord had no idea and Andrew was not going to start being extra honest now.

He sat on the edge, welcoming the shiver running through his whole body from the height, then opened the bottle and took a long swig of it.

To hell with that junkie.

It’s been a week since Andrew had last seen Neil. It wasn’t exactly true, because they saw each other at the university and Neil texted him with every small stupid detail of his life but Andrew promptly ignored him.  
It was funny how even this helped him and Neil when it came to this whole fake dating idiocy because everyone around them kept asking if they were fighting. Oh yes, definitely. After two days of acquaintanceship and they aren’t ‘officially’ together, but definitely had a lover’s quarrel.

The funny thing was Andrew thought he was going to have peace and calm mind but instead he found himself thinking of Neil from time to time and getting irritated. Especially because everyone seemed to bring him up in his presence, as if the world stopped moving if they could not talk about Neil fucking Josten.

“You two are just peas in the pod.” Said Kevin, slurping on his vodka one evening. Kevin would sometimes crash at their apartment, especially when Matt Boyd, his dorm roommate, brought back his girlfriend, Dan Wilds.  
Andrew only lifted a brow and Kevin continued, “Both of you would be talented and you are wasting it not playing exy.”

Andrew drank his shot accompanied by Nicky’s drunk giggle. Aaron could not be seen anywhere, he was probably out with his secret, not so secret girlfriend.

“Neil is fast, flexible and loves the game, willing to learn.” Kevin shook his head then glared at Andrew, “Unlike a certain someone.”

“You can’t force your obsession on anyone. Josten is probably not so obsessed as you say to be, I’m not seeing him on the team.”

Kevin grimaced, “He would play but he can’t. His goddamn knee.” He took another gulp from the vodka, “Unlike you. You are just lazy.”

“Cheers for that.” Andrew lifted his glass before emptying it.

He had been listening to Kevin’s bitching since last year when he quit the team. He played exy in juvie, it was better than nothing and as a goalkeeper he did not have to move around. But then Kevin Day, the prodigy son of David Wymack, the coach of Palmetto State Foxes had noticed him and forced Andrew into joining the team.  
That time Andrew wanted something for the first time since forever: a future. And Kevin promised him one, but soon Andrew had to admit he was lying to himself just as Kevin was lying to him.  
Andrew had no future. It was a pipe dream, poisoned with nightmares of his past.

So Andrew quit not long after joining - and honestly, he could not make himself interested in exy - and while Kevin would not leave him alone, he never once left a chance wasted to bring it up how stupid Andrew was for quitting and wasting his so-called talents.

It was curious though why Neil was not on the team as much as he loved the sport. Sometimes Andrew found himself wondering about it and now that Kevin mentioned a bad knee it was now understandable, together with how he befriended Matt Boyd or Dan Wilds, who was the captain of the team and an aspiring coach.

“Andrew.” Nicky slurred, “Can’t you just make up with Neil? I was so glad when you two actually became interested in each other enough to meet up again...”

“We aren’t fighting though?” Andrew answered, “He is just annoying.”

“I don’t know what happened, but can’t you just talk about it.”

“... Nicky.”

“You two would be a pretty couple.”

“If you don’t shut up, Nicky” Andrew said his tone cold and hard, “You might not live tomorrow.”

Nicky did not seem to sense how serious was thanks to his alcohol-fogged mind and continued turning towards him, “I hate to see you this way, ruining yourself all because -” Nicky shook his head and Andrew was glad he did not continue. “Andrew, you protected me and Aaron all this time. Even if you say you don’t care, you are the most caring person in this whole world. Aaron is too stubborn to admit it.” Nicky’s voice actually broke and he emptied his glass before he continued, “I hate it how you care about us but not about yourself. You deserve happiness Andrew, don’t you think? You deserve all the happiness and peace in the world.”

“Shut up if you don’t want to greet the morning in the hospital.”

“I called him here.” Nicky said.

Andrew raised a brow, “What?”

“I called him here. Neil.” Nicky said followed by a grin, “Today at university. I’ve told him we will have a drinking night and you want him to come.”

True to his word that exact moment their doorbell rang.

Andrew did not move but glared at Nicky who was smirking under his nose and thought Andrew did not notice if he tried to hide it with his glass.  
The doorbell rang again but Andrew definitely wouldn’t open the door and when Nicky tried he fell back on his ass.

Andrew smirked, “Seems like your guest will have to leave.”

Nicky gasped and Kevin sighed and the traitor he was he stood and left the room, only to come back a few moments later with a flustered Neil.

By this time Nicky managed to get on his feet and took a few wobbly steps towards Neil before pulling him among his arms and screaming, “I’m so happy you are here my darling child!”

Andrew grimaced as he turned his head away from the scene and instead poured himself another drink. He was determined to ignore Neil, to let him know this won’t work out whatever this was. Which wasn’t, because there was no __this__.  
Andrew did not believe in regrets but now he regretted ever making the deal with Neil now that he felt too close to the fire. Neil was too attentive, Neil saw too much and had questions which Andrew did not want to answer. And he definitely did not owe answers. At the same time though Andrew could not blame Neil for his curiosity - because Andrew was also full with questions about Neil.

Andrew felt his presence next to him without even looking and there he was, Neil sitting next to Andrew without being invited to join him, his expression soft and his lips turning into a small smile, “Hi.”

Andrew decided to not react. He was not going to acknowledge his presence at all, he was sure and with that decision he drank his shot.

“So Neil” Nicky said, “What can I pour you to drink? We have vodka, whiskey, beer -”

“I don’t drink.” Neil said and Andrew furrowed his brows - then why did you come here, idiot?

“Oh, just one shot” Nicky winked. “It’s really not much.”

“I only would like juice.”

“Please, Neil, drink with me.”

“I don’t -”

“Nicky.” Andrew said on a firm tone, “He is not drinking.”

Nicky watched him for a moment then let out an enormous sigh, “Then juice it is.”

Nicky stood wobbly to go to the kitchen, meanwhile reaching out for the equally drunk Kevin to come and accompany him because he could not stand alone which was a fairly transparent reason to simply leave Andrew and Neil alone.

“Thanks.” Neil said turning to Andrew.

“For what exactly?”

Neil shrugged, “For not letting him force the drink on me.”

Andrew felt flustered for a moment so he poured himself another shot and drank it. “I hate such stuff.”

Moments, minutes passed in silence and Andrew had started to have a feeling neither Nicky nor Kevin will come back to the living room and they were probably sleeping on either the floor or the kitchen island.  
Andrew was tempted to go and pour some cold water on them just for the heck of it but then he decided it was just better to leave them be, they could be bore with better when they were unconscious, unable to speak idiocy.

Neil must have sensed they were going to be left alone for good, because cleared his throat and said, “My father is the Butcher of Baltimore.”

Andrew turned and stared at him, not due to surprise but not understanding why Neil was telling him this.

Neil understood the unasked question because he added, “Last time I have asked you something and what I think is fair is to offer you my truth for it.”

Andrew scoffed, “Why, you want to play a truth for a truth game?”

Neil shrugged, “It’s not like people don’t know this about me already. It was on the news and all.”

“I did not know.”

“Well” Neil smirked. “Then you are a part of an awfully small circle.”

A silence had fallen upon them and Andrew would have thought it was irritating but in reality it was not. It was relaxing - something Andrew rarely felt when someone was around him.

“So.” He said, a weird joke between them and Andrew earned a smile from Neil.

But instead of continuing the joke, Neil’s foggy gaze stared into nothing as he said, “Until last year I was on the run.” His voice was small and Andrew’s heart skipped a beat - he knew Neil was telling him something he had never told anybody before. “One night my mom packed, grabbed me and left the family house - my father’s house.” He looked at Andrew, smiling slightly, “He was not a great father, you might imagine.” He turned away again as he continued, “My father was an influential person, having people everywhere. So we were in hiding, false identities, false appearance... Until one day he caught me. And everything ended when the FBI, who had been waiting for their chance to catch him, caught him in the act of -” Neil visibly gulped, “Anyway, they shot him on the spot.” Neil looked straight into Andrew’s eye, his blue gaze gleaming in the dark room, “Now here I am.”

“Here you are.” Andrew repeated on a low tone, itching to reach out and bury his fingers in to Neil’s red hair. Instead, he asked, “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because” Neil shrugged. “I feel that maybe you would understand. Not really understand, but not feel pity or the need to keep away from me like all the others.” Neil bit his lip flustered, “I mean it’s okay if you don’t understand, no one can so that’s... what I meant, it helps that... you are calm and fearless. And that calms me as well.” Neil rubbed his nape, “I’m bad with words.”

He took a deep breath and Andrew wanted to stop him. “Also, I’m telling you this because I want you to know, whatever opinion you have of yourself or others of you, I know the ugly side of the world, I know all kinds of terrible people. And whatever reason you had to pull a knife on that guy, still, at least you did not shove a cleaver in your son’s knee, so they can’t run away before you kill them.”

Neil was watching him with that blue gaze, as if daring him to turn away and prove him otherwise he just stated, that this did not bother Andrew and would not pity him.

He truly would not, he figured. Neither would want to keep himself away from Neil, or at least definitely not due to this matter. What he felt though was a weird sense of anger that could make him revive Neil’s father and send him to hell himself.

Instead Andrew clicked his tongue, “He says he is bad with words. Which is an absolute lie. He has a mouth on him.”

Neil chuckled and Andrew grimaced - he almost smiled with Neil..

“That’s why you don’t play exy.” He said after a few moments of silence and he met Neil’s vulnerable gaze.

“That’s why I don’t play exy.”

“But you are running.”

Neil shrugged, “Just a bit. Short distances.” He grinned, “Don’t tell my doctor. Or Kevin.”

Andrew smirked, thinking about Kevin’s reactor.  
 _ _If you can run, you can play.__

“How did he catch you?” Andrew asked the question that was on his tongue since Neil opened up to him.

“I let him.”

“And he is suicidal.” Andrew took out his cigarettes and lit one, needing the comforting burning feeling in his lungs. Nicky be damned if he dared to complain about the smoke.

“Maybe. But it was better than waking up and going to sleep terrified, on the run, every single day. That’s no life, Andrew.” He looked down at his hands, following the lines of his scars and Andrew wanted to grab his hand to stop him from doing so and keep holding it, “And I was tired. And then the FBI asked me to act like a bait and I did it without a second thought.”

“I let the police catch me when I was breaking and entering, then attacked the police officer. I went to juvie for it.” Andrew stated as if he just said the the sun was shining.

“Why?”

“Because it was better than all the sleepless nights in foster care, being afraid whether my bedroom door will open that night or not.” Andrew took a long drag from his cigarette then blew it into Neil’s face, “You are not the only person knowing the dark side of the world.”

Neil’s expression darkened as he understood what Andrew was telling him, but in his eyes it was fury gleaming instead of pity.  
Andrew could not bear with that expression. He reached out but stopped, waiting for Neil’s reaction. His expression was almost daring and an almost unnoticable nod allowed Andrew to go further, smooth out the angry crease between his brows then touch Neil’s cheek with the tip of his finger as he turned his head forward, stopping him from staring at him.

“Did he also do these?” Andrew asked, his finger tapping on Neil’s scar for a moment, then following the line from his eye to his jaw before pulling back.

“No,” Neil shook his head, reaching up and touching his burnt scar absentmindedly, “It was Lola, my father’s psycho assistant.” Neil shrugged as if it was nothing and Andrew felt a knot of anger in his guts seeing how little regard Neil had for his very own self, “They wanted me to tell where my mother was and thought knives and a lighter would do the trick.”

“And where was she?”

“Six feet under.” Neil smiled in a way Andrew wanted to reach out and cover his mouth, to wipe it away, “Died about two months before I was caught. So you might imagine it took them a while to figure out I cannot tell them where she was.”

Andrew did not want to imagine. Only the thought made the scratching in the back of his brain worse.

Neil let out a sigh as if all the weight from his shoulders had been lifted and Andrew realized maybe Neil really did feel that way. “So. Do you still want to date me?”

“You realize we aren’t really dating.”

Neil smiled, “Yes.”

“Good.”

Because Andrew almost forgot it for a moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Andrew is a disaster gay that's why he fell for Neil at first sight, that's why he is like this already, don't question me haha.  
> Neil, the fool he is, is slower I guess.
> 
> Anyway this 'heart-to-heart' might be too quick but oh well. (I honestly did not want the story to center around their pasts so probably that's the reason. Who knows, I definitely don't. At this point this story writes itself, I'm only lending my hands for it to be written haha)
> 
> This is a mess as always but thank you all for the kudos and your encouraging comments!
> 
> Also  
> Happy New Year!


End file.
